Guides · Updated September 2026

USA eSIM for visitors: data on Verizon and AT&T without a contract

Coming to the US? What a prepaid data eSIM gives you, what it does not (a US number), and how it compares to the carrier stores and roaming.

Visitors to the United States have a harder time getting a SIM than almost anywhere else. Carrier stores want an account, prepaid SIMs are often out of stock in airports, and the big three carriers each have their own coverage map. A data eSIM installed before you fly is the straightforward answer for a trip.

The networks

Our US eSIM runs on Verizon and AT&T, the two networks with the widest coverage in the country, with 5G in every major city. It connects to whichever is stronger where you are. Between them they cover the interstates, the national parks' main areas and every city you are likely to visit. Deep in a canyon or on a back road in Montana, nobody has signal, and that is not a plan problem.

What it costs

US data costs more than Asia; that is true of every provider, because wholesale prices here are higher.

What you do not get

A US phone number. Our plans are data only. For most visitors that does not matter: WhatsApp, iMessage and FaceTime carry on over data, Uber and Lyft work, and hotels and restaurants take bookings through apps. If you specifically need a US number, for example for a US bank or a job, a T-Mobile or Mint prepaid plan from a store is the route, and it comes with the account setup that goes with it.

Compared to the alternatives

• Roaming on your home carrier: convenient and usually expensive. European and Asian carriers commonly charge several euros or dollars a day, or per megabyte, in the US.
• Buying a SIM at a store: possible, but stores want an account, a US address is sometimes asked for, and airport kiosks are unreliable. Not something to plan a landing around.
• Airport Wi-Fi to the hotel: works until you need a ride.

Before you fly

Install at home. The plan starts when the eSIM first connects in the US, so buying a month early costs nothing. On landing, set mobile data to the eSIM and turn on Data Roaming for it. The full routine.

Common questions

Do I need an unlocked phone?

Yes. Phones sold on a contract by carriers outside the US are often locked. Check before you fly: how to tell.

Does it work in Hawaii and Alaska?

Yes, on the same networks.

Can I make calls to US numbers?

Not with the eSIM itself. Over data, yes: WhatsApp, FaceTime Audio, Google Voice or your home carrier's Wi-Fi calling.